Card-index system.



J. H. RAND, JR.

CARD INDEX SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11. 1915.

590 M13. Ross 28.2.

Moll: PA.

wor'wa ye.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

JAMES H. BAND, JR, OT NORTH TONA'WANDA, NEW YORK.

CARD-INDEX SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

Application filed Octoberll, 1915. Serial No. 55,204.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. RAND, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and resident of North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Card- Index Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto card index systems in which are combined certain of the advantages of indexes of the over-lapping card type and certain advantages of indexes of the ordinary tray of cards type.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the inventi0n,--

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a tray containing a number of groups of interlocked cards, embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a face view of one of said groups of interlocked cards;

Fig. 3 is a view of the reverse side of the group shown in- Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a face view of an individual card; and

Fig. 5 is a side or edge view of several I groups of the interlocked cards showing the relation of the groups one' to another when assembled in a tray.

The index comprises a card receptacle a, which may be a tray, box, drawer or the like, and will hereinafterbe referred to as a tray, and a plurality of groups of interlocked, overlapping cards, arranged in the tray one group in front of another.

Each group is made up of a series of cards I), each hav1ng one or more tonguesc cut from the body of the card, the-base of each tongue being spaced from one edge of the card and the tongue extending from its base toward the opposite edge of thecard. The margin of each card, excepting of course one end cardin each group, is nested between the tongue or tongues and the body of the next adjacent card in the series. The several cards ofeach group are thus 1nterlocked with one another and spaced by said tongues relatively to one another with their margins projecting one above another. Names or other subjectmatter of the index may be inscribed on said exposed margins.

While any convenient or desired number of cards may be thus assembled in each group, a group of convenient size in practice will contain from two or three cards up to six or eight; but this is not to be understood as the limitof the size of the groups. In the drawings groups offive cards each are shown for the purpose of illustration. 7

The individual cards of each group'are readily separable from one another, and each group of interlocked cards constitutes a unit which may be handled as a single part, and which may be removed from and.

inserted into the series of groups as a unit. The several groups of cards are arranged in the tray in upstanding position, one group,

in front of another, with the lowermost card of each group resting on the bottom of the tray, and the other cards ineach group resting upon and supported by one another. The individual cards in each group are held in position by one another, and the several groups are held in upstanding position one by another. Thus the cards depend solely on one another for their sup-port and require no additional holding means to retain them in position such as are used in overlapping cards mounted in flanged panels.

The entire set of cards occupy no more space from front to rear of the tray than a series of ordinary independent cards all standing at the same elevation and resting on the bottom of the tray. But whereas the index titles of an ordinary tray of cards cannot be read without manipulating and separating the individualcards, it is possible with the present invention to read one or more titles of each group without touching the cards, and by merely separating two groups a little all the titles on a exposed to view.

The groups of cards may be placed loose in the tray, without securement of any kind. Or, if it is desired to lock the cards against removal by accident or design, a lock rod d of usual form may be employed. In order to adapt the cards to the lock rod they are made with openings or perforations 6 arranged in stepped positions in the successive cards of each group, that is, at different distances from the edges of thecards, corresponding to the spaced relation of the cards in the group. Thus the perforations will register when the cards are properly assembled in groups, and will receive the lock rod (1. A slit 7 may, if desired, be provided from the edge of each card to its perforation e to permit the rod to pass sidewise into the perforations e. While the openings or perforations 6 shown are located between the ends of the cards, the invention is not re group are stricted to such location since the openings stepped as described would register and cooperate with a locking device in a similar manner Whether located at or between the ends of the cards.

The cards may be placed in the tray in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the tongues at the bottom, which is the preferable position; or, if desired, they may be used in-inverted position, and reversed front for back, in which case the exposed margins shown in Fig. 3 will be at the top and will bear the index characters.

I claim:

1. A card system comprising a tray, and a plurality of groups of cards, each group composed of a series of overlapping cards having parts by which the cards are interlocked and spaced relatively to one another with their margins projecting one above an: other, said several groups being arranged in said tray, one group in front of another, the cards being provided with openings Which register for the engagement of se curing means when the cards are grouped as stated. 7

2. A card system comprising a tray, and a plurality of groups of cards, each group composed of a series of overlapping cards having parts by which the cards are inter: locked and spaced relatively to one another with their margins projecting one above another, said several groups being arranged in said tray, one group in front of another with the lowermost card of each group restingon the bottom of the tray, and the other cards in each group resting one upon another, the cards'being provided with openings which register for the engagement of securing means when the cards are grouped as stated.

3. A card system comprising a tray, and a plurality of groups of cards, each group composed of a series of overlapping cards having parts by which the cards are interlocked and spaced relatively to one another with their margins projecting one above another, said several groups being arranged.

in said tray one group in front of another, each group of interlocked cards being removable from the series of groups as a unit, and the individual cards of each group being separable from one another, and means which engage the several cards of the several groups for securing the cards in the tray.

4. A card system comprising a tray, and a plurality of groups 0 cards, each group composed ofa series of overlapping cards having tongues by which the cards are interlocked and spaced relatively to one another with their margins projecting one above another, said several groups being arranged in said tray, one group in front of another, the several cards of each group having perforations arranged in stepped positions in the successive cards corresponding to the spaced relation of the cards, whereby the perforations will register when the cards are assembled, and a lock rod passing through said perforations.

Signed by me at North Tonawanda, this eighth day of October 1915.

' JAMES H. RAND, JR. -Witnesses:

F. W. MUNDIE, Enw. W. Mnssme. 

